Liverpool have been caught short of numbers at the back this season with their misery further compounding after Giovanni Leoni’s injury, which is set to keep him out of action for the foreseeable future.
Joe Gomez is also not very reliable from a fitness standpoint, thus leaving Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk as the only consistent pairing at the back for Arne Slot although both of them are not enjoying their best spell at the club either.
Konate’s contract at Anfield expires at the end of the ongoing season and not progress has been made over his renewal, whereas Van Dijk’s form has been far from ideal, thereby costing the Reds dearly in the Premier League.
Marc Guehi has been closely linked with a switch to Liverpool and came agonisingly close to a Deadline Day switch with everything agreed and a medical done, only for Crystal Palace to pull the plug due to not signing a replacement.
Football Insider has reported that in spite of interest from Real Madrid, Guehi ‘wants to go to Liverpool’ next year having already confirmed to Palace that he will be departing the club once his contract ends in June next year.
Big relief for Liverpool
Real Madrid’s allure is such that Liverpool have been thwarted by the Whites from signing the likes of Aurelien Tchouameni, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo Goes in recent years, whereas Trent Alexander-Arnold also swapped pastures as a free agent this year.
Considering the number of players they have not been able to secure due to Madrid, Marc Guehi’s choice comes as a big relief to the Reds, who will be able to get their hands on a fantastic Virgil van Dijk replacement with Premier League experience.
With that said, the relationship Liverpool have built with his agents since the summer is set to prove vital as they sign one of England’s top central defenders, valued at £44 million on Transfermarkt, on a free transfer soon.
There isn’t much that needs to be said about Guehi’s qualities, which are once again on show at Crystal Palace this season. Personal terms between the two parties are also unlikely to be an issue with Liverpool showing they are ready to spend big.